Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman dead at 46

The Oscar-winning actor was found dead with a syringe in his arm in his New York apartment.

Movies

This content comes from Closed Captioning that was broadcast along with this program.

>>>as such a shock today.
philip seymour hoffman
, the enormously talented
oscar
-winning actor who made his name in hollywood and in the theater was found dead in his new
york
apartment at the age of just 46. hoffman had also been very public about his struggle with heroin. we knew he had overcome an addiction years ago and spent more than 20 years counseling others not to pick up the habit of an ever-more potent drug that's attracting all too many
young people
. in the end, though, it would appear he couldn't save himself. nbc's kristen dahlgren is outside the apartment tonight. kristen, good evening.

>> reporter: good evening, kate. well, inside
philip seymour hoffman
's apartment in new
york
, the police investigation continues. outside, as you can see, the crowd continues to go. the media and fans, so many shocked by the
oscar winner
's death. news of
philip seymour hoffman
's death came as a shock to his many fans.

>>it's sad. sad to see somebody like that go so early. they had so much more to contribute.

>> reporter: police in new
york
say the 911 call came around
11:15
sunday morning, an apparent
drug overdose
. hoffman was found in the bathroom of his
west side
apartment downtown with drug pa paraphernalia and as many at eight bags of heroin nearby. a reported stint in rehab last year after more than two decades of sobriety. in
2002
, he appeared on "today."

>>i think everybody's troubled. i think that's part of what it's like living on the planet.

>> reporter: best known for his
oscar
-winning role in capote, he was a versatile
character actor
, famous for disappearing in his roles.

>>when the bellhop told me i had a
phone call
, it was my stepfather, joe capote, calling to say that my mother had died.

>> reporter: oscar
,
golden globe
nomination last year. he was also active in theater, having starred and directed numerous plays, including most recently the broadway revival of "
death of a salesman
" that won him rave reviews.

>>it's exciting. it's really exciting.

>> reporter: he recently won young fans in the hunger games, "catching fire," a role he was reprising in the final film. in a statement his family said we are devastated by the loss of our beloved phil. and appreciate the outpouring of love and support we have received from everyone.
tom hanks
, who co-starred with him said this is a horrible today for those who worked with philip. he was a giant talent. mocking jay film and a short time ago, showtime announced he would be starring in a new
tv comedy
and also he, around here, though, was known more as a neighborhood dad. he has three kids and he was often seen here with